Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Bullet recommends .223

Looking for a recommendations on bullet weights for a AR rifle chambered in 223/5.56 with a 1/7 twist 16" barrel.

I have 2 pounds of Winchester 748 ball powder I'll be loading with.

I have a ton of factor FMJ ammo so I want to load up some good hunting/home defense rounds with the primers and powder I have.

Just curious what bullet style and weight you guys are running with win. 748 and a 1/7 twist AR-15

Thank you

Go with a 60gr V Max.

With an AR, you probably will run into magazine restrictions before you get into bullets that require a 1-7. Just pick one that suits your notion and go for it. Some manuals have a section on .223 service rifles that may be helpful. VMaxes have always shot well for me in CF .22s, and BTs are good too. Speer Gold Dots, Nosler Partitions and some others with tougher construction will do for deer. You have a lot to choose from.

75gr Hornady BTHP my favorite in 7twist AR ,

I would buy a bunch of RMR (rocky mountain reloading) 69 grain HPBT or the hornady 75 grain HPBT for another good bullet for the money.

I'm the same as above 75gr Hornady BTHP is a beauty. Yes, it works on deer size game too.

Accurate and cheap, and seemingly readily available. Hard to go wrong here......

Kaiser Norton

Great suggestion.

kwg

55 grain Sierra Gameking if deer are on the menu.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101093139/

55 grain Ballistic Tip if no deer, just coyotes and critters or something with feathers.


These 62 grain BTSP if you feel you want more than 55 grains.

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....4-diameter-62-grain-soft-point-500-count

Thanks for all the recommendations guys. I was able to pick up some 60 gn Vmax and 60 gn Hornady SP at a local shop today.

I have always been a fan of Sierra bullets, if I can find some gamekings locally I'll probably get a couple box's. I'm just trying to avoid paying shipping at the moment. I'll also keep a eye out for some Hornady BTHP

One of my favorite bullets is the Sierra 65gr SBT, but it seems Sierra has put them on the back burner for quite some time.
The 60gr VMax you picked up are awesome for varmints and coyotes but would never use them for something deer size as they come undone on impact

How many bullet threads do we have and they are all the fu cking same.

I love the 65 sgk, my distributor has had them in stock for awhile now

One more question. I know this is like opening Pandora's box.

Do you guys crimp your V max and SP bullets without cannular? My dies are RCBS SB with tapered crimp.

Seems like it's split 50/50 with people that do and don't crimp non cannular bullets for semiauto/AR rifles.

I've used the Hornady 68 and 75 Match bullets; they shoot well, but have always been slightly less accurate than the Sierra 65 GameKing. This bullet has shown very good accuracy in three 1 in 7" Colt ARs and a CZ bolt-action with a 1 in 9" barrel using H4895 powder (TAC is a close second). Up to 200 yards, as far as I've tried it, it will do as well from an accuracy perspective as the Sierra 69 MatchKing.

I don't crimp.

I dont crimp anything

77gr SMK gets put through 90% of 223s I have and 90% of anything I shoot with them. There’s other stuff that works, but for the $ vs accuracy and effectiveness, they’re pretty darn good.

60gr V Max's enter the chest cavity, and totally destroy internal organs.
They make it through the hair and hide, blow a rib to fragments, if hit and send all those fragments ripping the insides to mush. If it doesn't hit a rib, that flat base bullet enters the chest cavity with a permanent expansion bubble, mushing organs, and sending the shrapnel everywhere.
I feel the weight, velocity, and construction, combine to make a devastating bullet for any living creature.
An all around deer bullet ?
No. But under controlled conditions, deer will die quickly.
I wouldn't want to be hit anywhere with one. If we go to war, I'm using V Max's !

Dozens, just like "What Scope For A Ruger No.1", but that isn't going to change.


OP, I have had success with the Nosler 64 BSB and 65 Sierra GK, I prefer the Sierra as it was easy to get accuracy and previously was easy to find in stock. If you can't find them, look for the 64 Sierra TGK (Game Changer).